As the owner of Unity Printing—a third-gen commercial printing business in Latrobe, Pennsylvania—Lisa Frederick knows a little something about building loyalty. Scratch that: She knows a lot.

Recently, we checked in with her to learn how she uses the My FedEx Rewards loyalty program to help grow her business. (She’s been a member since 2016.) We also wanted to know what advice she’d give to other FASCs about joining the program and getting more out of their shipping.

The stories Lisa shared were inspiring. And spoiler alert…They were less about her bottom line than about building relationships. Here are two simple ways Lisa uses the gift cards she earns through My FedEx Rewards to help grow loyalty among employees and the community.

Lisa’s been in the business long enough to know that employees who feel appreciated are more likely to provide stellar customer service. “It’s good to reinvest in your people,” she says. “A lot of business owners reinvest in equipment, a building, new carpet, furniture, or whatever. But you need to invest in the people.”

She uses the gift cards she earns to “do more” for her employees—like company picnics and other events. And she slips the gift cards into personal, handwritten notes during the holidays. Lisa flashes a smile as she talks about employees who’ve told her how much they love working for her company: “That makes me sleep better at night,” she says. “If they’re happy, then I know they’re going to treat the customers fantastic. And that’s what we all want at the end of the day. It’s a team effort, and that’s how we look at it.”

Would she still do picnics and personalized gifts without the My FedEx Rewards gift cards? Absolutely. But they sure do help.

Unity Printing has served the Latrobe community for 40+ years. One way Lisa shows her gratitude to her customer base is by donating her My FedEx Rewards gift cards to local non-profits and fundraisers.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh in her memory, she says, “We like to help and give back. And it’s important to support our community because we need to help each other.” She also says that when it comes to the gift card options, “the choice is great.” You get to choose from top retailers—any of which could be valuable to any type of business or group.

OK, so earning loyalty rewards and using them to build loyalty is easy and encouraging. But what about signing up for and navigating the My FedEx Rewards program?

“Joining the program is painless. I’m shocked that any customer wouldn’t take advantage of it,” Lisa told us. “It’s almost too easy! You get on within five minutes. Click, click, click. You got your gift card ordered.”

Lisa also enjoys how the program keeps your rewards top of mind. “You get helpful notifications about rewards, including when they’re about to expire. Not all loyalty programs do that,” Lisa reminds us. It’s a courtesy she finds refreshing.

Ready to take Lisa’s advice to ship, earn, give, and grow? Join the My FedEx Rewards program today. If you need more information or help signing up, contact retailsupport@fedex.com or your sales rep.